The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1887-02-05

Editor Lake Charles Echo:
Whilst much has been said and
written in regard to immigration to
other parts of Calcasieu parish, wish
to give few items in respect to this
section of our progressive parish.
There is but one advantage that the
prairie section has over this in in
dueing settlers to come and possess
the lands, and that is railroad faeIll-
ties. We are fifty miles from rail-
road, and emigrants seem to prefer to
settle along and near these routes even
on poorer land than can be obtained
further inland. And those who have
been raised in and are accustomed to
prairie country, seem to prefer the
prairie, having become imbued with
the idea that it is cheaper and easier
to bring such lands under cultivation
than the timber lands. But IN th1s |
believe they are somewhat mistaken.
If they adopt the method of clearing
lands usually resorted to in the woods
country they will soon be convinced
of their error. a. sa-v .
1t is usual to cut around or "deaden "
trees in August, these will die in the
spring so that a very fair crop of corn,
cotton, potatoes, or any other crop
can be made the first year. In the
pine woods there is very little under
growth to clear out, only few logs
and knots to burn of, and the land is
ready for the plow. And out of the
timber thus killed can be obtained
rails for fencing. One man can
"deaden an acre of trees in a day,
and make rails enough in three or four
weeks to fence in fifteen or twenty
acres. And all this can be done by
any one who can swing an ak by his
own labor without any other expense.
We have lands here that will pro-
duce in favorable seasons forty or fifty
bushels of corn per acre, and any of
them by proper cultivation and a little
fertihzing can be made to do the same.
Settlers need these lands and these
lands need an Industrious class of set
tiers to make this section flourish.
Large tracts of the heaviest timbered
lands have been bought up by North
ern capitalists, for numbering or speeu-
lative purposes. Yet the most of the
best farming lands are still open to
entry or homestead, or held by indi-
vidual "squatter" claims, which can
be bought at a nominal sum and good
titles secured, There are also many
improved farms in the vicinity of Su-
gartown that can be bought very
cheap now, compared to what they
will be worth in few years from now.
At Sugartown We have three busi'
ness houses, postoffiee, two saw mills,
two corn mills, one rice mill and a
planer connected with one of the saw
mills, whero heart pine lumber dressed,
tongued and grooved, ready for build
ing, can be had for ten dollars per
1000, rough lumber $3.50 to $5 per
1000 feet. We need carding factory
and cloth mandatory to card and
make into cloth the wool clipped from
the many sheep which are kept in this
section. We need class of farmers
who will adopt different method of
farming than that carried on at pres
ent, and a different method of raising
and caring for stock. To make the
latter business more successful more
attention must be paid to providing
fodder and hay for cattle in winter,
A very little will suffice, and is easily
obtained if gathered in time, The
amount of hay a farmer in Iowa, Il
speak from experience), is obliged to
stow away. to winter ten head of cat
tie there, would winter 100 head here,
and it is as easily saved here as there,
Then we have most excellent water in
this section, plenty of pine and oak
wood, and rich pine knots, "till you
can't rest" and a climate unsurpassed
for salubrity and agreeableness this.
side of the rocky mountains. ',' +
SHVERANuE